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Mets' Huascar Brazobán 'impressive' locking down first career save

Wednesday was an up-and-down affair for the Mets in Miami, but it could have been a lot worse if it wasn't for RHP Huascar Brazobán.

After Pete Alonso's late home run tied the game at 4-4, the game went into extra innings where the Mets took a 6-4 lead in the 11th. Manager Carlos Mendoza went with LHP Danny Young to close out the game after the Mets skipper had already used Edwin Diaz and their other high-leverage relievers to keep the game close enough for the offense to tie the game.

However, while Mendoza's strategy worked he was left using Young, who is one of his weakest arms out of the pen. Entering Wednesday, Young had already allowed two runs on four hits and one walk in two innings of work, and those struggles continued.

The 30-year-old allowed a leadoff single to Xavier Edwards and then walked Kyle Stowers. Young did strike out Griffin Conine to get the first out, but Mendoza had seen enough and after the requisite three batters, the skipper called on Brazoban.

"It was his game," Mendoza said of Brazoban after the game before pointing out he had no more arms left in the bullpen after his right-hander.

Brazoban rewarded Mendoza with a dominant two outs. He got Jonah Bride to fly out to right and then struck out Otto Lopez on four pitches to complete the Mets' comeback.

"Feels good to be able to get the save but to also get it against a former team," Brazobán said through an interpreter after the game. "My goal was to save the game and that’s what we did."

Brazobán spent his first two-plus seasons with the Marlins before being traded to the Mets in July last year. Entering Wednesday, Brazobán made 118 big league appearances. He's had 14 save opportunities in that time, but never came away with the save until Wednesday, back where his career started.

"Huge, huge. Not only saving the bullpen the last two outings but with runners on came in threw strikes, got the fly ball and then the last out," Mendoza said of Brazobán's performance. "Pretty impressive for him coming out of the bullpen."

Wednesday was just another notch in what has been a great start for the right-hander. So far in 2025, Brazobán has only allowed two hits while walking one batter in 5.0 innings pitched. Oh, and he hasn't allowed a run while striking out five batters.

When asked why he's having so much success early on, the Dominican Republic native said it starts with his routine this offseason.

"From the preparation starting in the offseason back home," he explained. "Being able to do what I want, practice the way that I want, execute the way that I had. Continue to attack the hitters and that’s why we’ve had so much success this season."

Brazobán said that he remained engaged throughout the game so that when Lopez came up in the 11th he was prepared. He threw four straight sinkers ranging from 96-97 mph and ultimately froze him with a dot in the upper right corner to seal the win. 

"I’m the type of player, from the beginning of the game, I’m anticipating different situations. Just watching that hitter from the beginning of the game, he was trying to hit a lot of soft stuff so what I did was attack him with my best pitch, and just try to beat him with the sinker in that situation."

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Shohei Ohtani hits walk-off homer on his bobblehead night to keep Dodgers undefeated

Shohei Ohtani grins and is showered with water by teammates as he crosses home plate after hitting a walk off home run.
Shohei Ohtani is showered with water by teammates as he crosses home plate after hitting a walk-off home run Wednesday night against the Braves at Dodger Stadium. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

On a night of imperfection in all facets of their game, the Dodgers found a way to remain perfect anyway.

Those early throwing errors by Max Muncy? Didn’t matter.

Andy Pages’ dropped ball in center? No sweat.

Blake Snell, the centerpiece of the team’s half-billion-dollar offseason spending spree, not having his best stuff? A worry for another time.

And the early five-run deficit they faced as a result of it all? Turns out, it wouldn’t last.

Instead, the Dodgers mounted a stirring comeback that pushed their season-opening record to 8-0. They accomplished the best start to a season by any defending champion in MLB history. They took a game in which they seemed destined to beat themselves, and found a way to beat the Atlanta Braves 6-5 anyway.

And, on a night fans lined up outside the Dodger Stadium gates hours early to receive his bobblehead, Shohei Ohtani walked it off with a game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth.

Read more:Hernández: Tokyo Series atmosphere shows Shohei Ohtani is more than 'a representative of Japan'

Getting there required a herculean effort, the Dodgers digging out of a big early hole that had been entirely of their own making.

The bullpen combined for five scoreless innings. Home runs from Tommy Edman and Michael Conforto trimmed the Atlanta lead. In the eighth, a two-run double from Max Muncy — who switched back to his old regular bat after beginning the night swinging the new torpedo model — finally got the Dodgers back level.

Then, in the bottom of the ninth, Ohtani came to the plate and did the kind of thing that has made him the biggest star in L.A., and all of baseball, launching a no-doubt, game-winning solo blast to straightaway center field that sent Chavez Ravine into a frenzy.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Kristian Campbell agrees to $60 million, 8-year deal with Red Sox, less than a week after debut

BALTIMORE — Kristian Campbell agreed to a $60 million, eight-year contract with the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday, less than a week after his major league debut.

Campbell agreed to the deal with just six days of major league service time. Boston struck a big-money deal with a rookie for the second straight year following a $50 million, eight-year contract last April with outfielder/infielder Ceddanne Rafaela, who started 2024 with 35 days of service.

“I know we have a really good team and a really good system," Campbell said. “It's a winning culture, a winning organization. ... Winning people, in the city of Boston. That made the decision fairly easy.”

Campbell gets a $2 million signing bonus, half payable within 60 days of the contract’s approval by Major League Baseball and half next Jan. 15. He receives salaries of $1 million this year, $2 million in 2026, $3 million in 2027, $4 million in 2028, $6 million in 2029, $9 million in 2030, $13 million in 2031 and $16 million in 2032. The deal includes a $19 million team option for 2033 with a $4 million buyout and a $21 million team option for 2034 with no buyout.

Salaries for 2031-34 can escalate based on accomplishment in the immediately preceding season: $200,000 for making the All-Star team, $2 million for winning an MVP award, $1 million for finishing second or third in the voting, $500,000 for fourth or fifth, and $250,000 for sixth through 10th.

A 22-year-old infielder and outfielder, Campbell made his big league debut March 27 as Boston's youngest opening day starter at second since Reggie Smith. He entered Wednesday hitting .375 (6 for 16) with two doubles, one homer, two RBIs and four walks.

“They developed me from day one, as soon as I got drafted. They've been working with me every day,” Campbell said. “I've learned something new every day. They've helped me become the player I am today. So it means a lot to me that I'm with the Red Sox for a long time.”

Campbell's new deal supersedes a one-year contract paying the $760,000 minimum while in the major leagues.

“I've just got to worry about baseball now. Everything that's happened is life-changing for sure," he said. “I'm looking forward to just playing baseball now, winning games.”

Campbell's contract comes the same week the Red Sox agreed to a $170 million, six-year contract with ace left-hander Garrett Crochet, whom Boston acquired in an offseason trade from the Chicago White Sox.

“We're building something really good,” Campbell said. “We have a lot of great players. ... Going in the right direction for sure.”

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Pete Alonso's clutch power fueling Mets' lineup amid struggles: 'We don't give up'

If anyone in the Mets' lineup was grappling with early-season pressure to come up clutch at the plate against the division-rival Marlins this week, ample relief was provided by Pete Alonso.

The veteran slugger, who broke Monday's game wide open with a mammoth grand slam, played the role of hero again on Wednesday, delivering a game-tying home run in the eighth inning that helped propel New York to a thrilling 6-5 road win over Miami in 11 innings.

Perhaps the moment couldn't have belonged to anyone but Alonso. Before the eighth began and the dramatic nine-pitch at-bat developed, he'd produced two hits -- a pair of doubles -- that also made up half of the Mets' hit total. Alonso was simply dialed in, and the 415-foot three-run shot to dead center off Marlins reliever Calvin Faucher reaffirmed the impression.

"I'm just happy I was able to come through for the team right there. Today was obviously a really important game for us," Alonso said after the game. "I'm just looking to get a good pitch to hit over the middle of the plate. Thankfully for me, I was fighting off some really tough pitches there. He came at me with his best stuff. He located some good ones, especially early in the count. I was able to stay under control and let the ball show up where I wanted it to."

With two monster swings, Alonso ignited a spark that the Mets desperately needed. Entering the rubber game at loanDepot Park, they were hitting a collective .179 through five games, with a measly .125 (4-for-32) average with runners in scoring position. The hitting woes were still apparent on Wednesday -- defensive miscues also piled up -- but Alonso's bat bailed them out. He channeled the comeback energy that defined the Mets' exciting 2024 turnaround and postseason run.

"There's a lot of guys from last year that know how to do that. This is a talented bunch," Alonso said. "For us, we never think we're out of any game. That's one of the great characteristics about this club. That's just a testament to the character of every single one of these guys. We don't give up until the last out's made."

It won't be long until Alonso officially stamps himself as the Mets' king slugger -- he's now 15 homers of tying David Wright for the most long balls in franchise history.

In the meantime, Alonso is enjoying a strong start to a prove-it season with heightened expectations. He's slashing .286/.423/.667 with a team-high four extra-base hits and eight RBI in 21 at-bats.

"When he's doing that, getting the barrel and making contact, we know the power is real," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said of Alonso. "First at-bat today, smoked a ball in the gap. Then that homer in the eighth was pretty impressive. You see him take walks, laying off some tough pitches. When things are going his way, that's what we see."

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Carlos Rodon struggles early, Yankees' bats show up too late in 4-3 loss to Diamondbacks

The Yankees' bats were kept in check by Zac Gallen, picking up just three hits against the right-hander before the offense woke up late in their 4-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on a cold, windy night in The Bronx on Wednesday.

Here are the takeaways...

-Carlos Rodon's second start of the season wasn't as good as his first, but if you tuned in for the first couple of innings, you'd be surprised by how well the southpaw recovered.

In the first, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. smashed a 94.2 mph fastball up in the zone that went into the second deck in left field. In the second, Rodon had some tough luck, reaching for a groundball up the middle that, if he let go, could have been a double play. Instead, everyone was safe. Arizona would caash in with a sac fly to push their lead to 3-0, and then Ketel Marte -- who signed a big extension earlier in the day -- gave the D-backs a four-run lead with a two-out, seeing-eye single.

After that, Rodon was cruising. He wound up completing six innings, allowing the four runs on three hits and four walks with five strikeouts. Impressive, considering how poorly Rodon pitched.

-But even if Rodon allowed just one run, it wouldn't have mattered, considering how well Gallen pitched. The Arizona right-hander entered Wednesday with two career starts against the Yankees, and he was dominant. He hadn't allowed a run in 12 innings against the Bombers, and he continued his dominance.

Gallen got into trouble just once in this game, which came in the second inning after a Jazz Chisholm Jr. single and Austin Wells double, but Jasson Dominguez and Ben Rice struck out swinging on knuckle curves. The Yankees struck out seven times on Gallens' knuckle curve and 13 times in total against him. Gallen allowed just three hits in 6.2 innings (101 pitches/64 strikes) without allowing a walk.

-Even when Gallen was out of the game, the Yankees struggled. Joe Mantiply pitched a perfect inning and Ryan Thompson got an out before he allowed back-to-back singles in the top of the ninth. Arizona went to AJ Puk to close out the game, but the southpaw allowed a first-pitch homer to Anthony Volpe to cut their lead to 4-3. The comeback bid ended when Wells and Dominguez went down in order.

It was Volpe's fourth home run of the season and he had just one of the team's six hits. Cody Bellinger (1-4), Aaron Judge (1-4) and Wells (2-4) were the only players to register a hit.

Arizona's lineup wasn't much better -- they produced just three hits against Rodon. Yoendrys Gomez allowed three walks while striking out one in three innings of work.

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees and Diamondbacks complete their three-game series on Thursday. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

Carlos Carrasco will make his first start with the Yankees, opposing veteran Merrill Kelly.

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Mets deliver pair of late rallies in 6-5 extra-inning win over Marlins

The Mets wrapped up their season-opening road trip with much-needed momentum, rallying late to defeat the Miami Marlins in 11 innings, 6-5, on Wednesday night at loanDepot Park.

Here are the takeaways...

-- It didn't take long for the Mets to draw first blood. After a one-out single from Juan Soto in the first inning, Pete Alonso smacked a double to the right-center field gap to give them a 1-0 lead. With the stadium's retractable roof open, the wind kept a few deep flies from going over the fence, and Mark Vientos was a victim in the second when his loud shot to left-center surprisingly didn't reach the warning track.

-- Clay Holmes struggled with command in his first start of the season, and the issues unfortunately made the trip to Miami. While he threw first-pitch strikes to 10 of the first 12 batters, he fell behind in counts and ran into trouble. His third inning could've been far worse, though -- the Marlins loaded the bases with no outs and only scored twice. An errant throw home from Vientos on a grounder extended that jam.

-- The fourth inning went smoothly for Holmes, as he sent the Marlins down in order on 11 pitches. But the newly-converted starter wasn't allowed to complete the fifth. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza took the ball with two runners on and two outs, marking Holmes' second straight outing that lasted 4.2 innings. He allowed one earned run on six hits and two walks with six strikeouts (85 pitches).

-- The Mets couldn't inflict damage on Marlins starter Connor Gillispie, who completed five innings with six strikeouts. Alonso was the only one who found success -- his pair of doubles were half of their hits against the right-hander.

-- Sloppy defense returned in the seventh inning when reliever A.J. Minter balked a runner over to third after allowing a leadoff double. Moments later, another grounder to Vientos went awry. By misjudging a high chopper that was assumed foul, the Marlins scored their third run and the batter reached first on an infield single. Ryne Stanek also gave up an inherited run, bumping Miami's lead to 4-1.

-- Just when it looked like the Mets didn't have a late rally in their bones, they conveniently defied expectations. Luis Torrens led off the eighth with a pinch-hit single, and Francisco Lindor then advanced him to third with a much-needed single to right. A fielder's choice grounder from Soto left Torrens dead at home, but Alonso eventually played the role of hero once again, crushing a game-tying, three-run homer to center.

-- The drama found its way into the bottom half of the eighth when closer Edwin Diaz entered the tied game. After allowing an infield single, a stolen base, and a wild pitch, a Marlins run seemed inevitable. But a Griffin Conine grounder to second resulted in a bang-bang play at home when Torrens tagged out Xavier Edwards on a throw from Brett Baty. Initially ruled safe, a Mets challenge overturned the call. A scoreless ninth sent the game into extra innings.

-- New York was unable to cash a run in the 10th with runners on the corners and no outs, but the offense came through in the 11th. With the bases juiced and no outs, Jesse Winker drew a four-pitch walk to give the Mets a 5-4 lead. Then, Vientos hit a grounder to shortstop that was booted, allowing Alonso to score and all runners to advance. Miami managed to stop the bleeding by inducing a double-play grounder and flyout.

-- Following two shutout innings of relief from Jose Butto, the Mets called upon Danny Young to begin the 11th. He walked his first batter and struck out his second, and then Huascar Brazobán entered with the task of cleaning up the mess. He luckily did just that, closing the door with a flyout and strikeout.

-- On a personal level, the game was memorable for Mets catcher Hayden Senger, who doubled to right-center in the fifth for his first big league hit. A pretty cool story for the 27-year-old rookie -- he was taken in the 24th round of the 2018 draft and made the Opening Day roster after playing 402 games in the team's minor league system.

Game MVP: Pete Alonso

Alonso broke open Monday's game with a mammoth grand slam, and his three-run shot on Wednesday once again provided relief to a Mets lineup that was struggling to find a rhythm and deliver a clutch hit. The veteran slugger is now hitting .286 with eight RBI in 21 at-bats.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets (3-3) will spend Thursday's off day settling back into the New York area and preparing for Friday's highly-anticipated home opener against the Toronto Blue Jays at 3:10 p.m.

Tylor Megill is slated to make his second start of the season, opposite Kevin Gausman on SNY.

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Iván Herrera becomes first Cardinals catcher with three-homer game in win over Angels

ST. LOUIS (AP) — When Iván Herrera was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals out of Panama, he was excited to join an organization that featured one of his idols, Yadier Molina.

On Wednesday, Herrera accomplished something that Molina, Hall of Famer Ted Simmons or any other catcher in the Cardinals’ 123-year history hadn’t done, hitting three homers in St. Louis’ 12-5 win over the Los Angeles Angels.

“In sports, I think this is the best moment of my career,” Herrera said. “I’ve never hit three home runs in my career. Just doing it here in the big leagues to get us tied, to keep us going, it’s a feeling I can’t share right now.”

Herrera hit a solo homer in the fourth inning off Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi. He took Kikuchi deep again in the sixth, a two-run shot that gave the Cardinals a 3-1 lead.

Herrera then made history in the eighth when he hit a 2-0 pitch from Brock Burke 425 feet into the third deck of the left-field stands for a three-run homer. He finished 3 for 4 with a walk and six RBIs.

“It’s amazing doing something that’s never been done before,” Herrera said. “Growing up, I didn’t have any money or anything. Being able to accomplish these things, it means a lot for me, for my family, for my country. We don’t have that many people in the big leagues, but the people that get there do good things, so I’m just trying to keep it that way.”

The 24-year-old is the fifth-youngest catcher in major league history to hit three homers in a game, and his 12 total bases broke the franchise record for a catcher of 10 that was last achieved by teammate Willson Contreras in 2024.

“That’s amazing,” Contreras said. “I think when you hit three homers in a game for the first time for a team, and, also, you help the team to win, I think it’s the most important thing.”

Herrera has not played a full season in the majors since making his debut on May 25, 2022, a week before his 22nd birthday. He’s the Cardinals’ regular catcher this season after the team moved Contreras to first base.

“He’s a confident kid, regardless of how it’s going,” manager Oliver Marmol said. “He’s hit his whole career, and he’s doing it against some of the best here. No one knows what that ceiling looks like, but it’s high.”

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Ketel Marte agrees to new six-year, $116.5 million contract with Diamondbacks

NEW YORK — Second baseman Ketel Marte and the Arizona Diamondbacks agreed Wednesday to a six-year, $116.5 million contract, becoming among the first players to negotiate a lower salary for 2027 ahead of a possible work stoppage.

The deal for the two-time All-Star includes escalators for MVP awards and plate appearances that could raise its value to $149.5 million, agent Charisse Dash said. Arizona had not yet announced contract.

Marte agreed in March 2022 to a five-year, $76 million deal that started in 2023 and had $49 million in guaranteed money remaining: salaries of $16 million each in 2025 and ’26, $14 million in 2027 and a $13 million team option for 2028 with a $3 million buyout.

His new agreement calls for salaries of $14 million in 2025, $15 million in 2026, $12 million in 2027, $20 million in 2028 and $22 million each in 2029 and 2030. Marte has an $11.5 million player option for 2031.

His salary could escalate in each succeeding season by up to $5.5 million: $3 million for MVP voting and $2.5 million for plate appearances. It would go up by $3 million for finishing among the top three in MVP voting and by $2 million for finishing fourth through seventh. It also would rise by $500,000 each for 500 and 550 plate appearances, and by $750,000 apiece for 600 and 625.

Major League Baseball’s collective bargaining agreement expires in December 2026, and a lockout is possible that would have potential to disrupt to the 2027 season.

Marte finished third in NL MVP voting last year and fourth in 2019. The 31-year-old hit .292 last year while setting career highs with 36 homers and 95 RBIs.

He has a .282 career average with 143 homers and 515 RBIs in 11 big league seasons with Seattle (2015-16) and the Diamondbacks.

Marte was MVP of the 2023 NL Championship Series, hitting .387 against the Phillies.

Arizona has made several big-money moves after missing last year’s playoffs, signing free-agent pitcher Corbin Burnes to a six-year, $210 million contract and agreeing to long-term deals with right-hander Brandon Pfaadt ($45 million for five years starting in 2026), shortstop Geraldo Perdomo ($45 million for four years starting in 2026) and right-hander Justin Martinez ($18 million for five years).

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Athletics trade speedy outfielder Esteury Ruiz to Dodgers for minor league pitcher

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Athletics traded talented base-stealer and outfielder Esteury Ruiz to the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday for minor league right-hander Carlos Duran.

Ruiz, who led the American League with 67 stolen bases in 2023 for an AL rookie record, was designated for assignment by the A’s on Sunday. He is headed to join Triple-A Oklahoma City.

The A’s announced the move ahead of their series finale Wednesday against the Chicago Cubs at Sutter Health Park.

Ruiz topped Kenny Lofton’s then-record of 66 stolen bases set with Cleveland in 1992. The 26-year-old Ruiz was hindered by wrist and knee injuries last year, when he played in only 29 games and then underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in late September. He batted .254 with five home runs, 24 doubles, a triple and 47 RBIs in his only full major league season.

The Dodgers transferred right-hander Kyle Hurt to the 60-day injured list to clear room for Ruiz on the 40-man roster.

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Wheeler dominates as Phillies collect series win over Rockies

Wheeler dominates as Phillies collect series win over Rockies originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Zack Wheeler took the mound Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park for his first home start of the season, where he dominated for seven innings, allowing one run on three hits.

The Phillies’ ace collected his first win in 2025 with a 5-1 feat over the Rockies and put a bow on the outing with his 26th-career double-digit strikeout game (10).

What, did you expect anything different?

Rob Thomson certainly knows it’s the standard at this point in Wheeler’s career.

“He was great,” the Phillies manager said after the win. “It seems like the same thing every night, you know?”

The only standout was Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman hitting a home run off of Phillies starting pitching in back-to-back games. The Rockies have two runs through two games in this series — and they both belong to him.

Now 4-1 on the young season, the Phillies secured back-to-back series wins to open their 2025 campaign. It marks the 20th time in franchise history.

Slowly — and emphasis on slowly — but surely, the offense is finding ways to score against opposing starting pitchers. Prior to Wednesday, 23 of the Phillies’ 25 runs came against bullpen arms.

The club added to that production against Rockies left-hander, Kyle Freeland, who came into the game with a 0.00 ERA after pitching six scoreless innings to open his season against the Rays.

After an Alec Bohm single a la torpedo bat in the fourth inning, Kyle Schwarber kept his early hot streak alive with an RBI double. It’s the first time the Phillies scored first through five games.

Schwarber crossed the plate shortly after, when J.T. Realmuto dribbled a knuckle curve a few feet out of the batter’s box.

Aggression at the plate, awareness on the base paths and complete consistency early on has shown it doesn’t matter where Schwarber’s name is penciled in the lineup — the designated hitter is going to produce.

He’s currently leading the club in runs batted in (7), home runs (3) and runs (5 — tied with Bryson Stott).

But at the moment, what is somehow more impressive, is the heater Edmundo Sosa is on.

Sosa made his first start at second base this season and collected a mere three hits and two RBI. He now has four consecutive multi-hit games and is leading the team in hits (9).

It’s a good, yet difficult situation to be in when a bench player is producing at this caliber. He started in place of Trea Turner for three games while the shortstop was dealing with a hip issue — he’s now back. He started in place of Bryson Stott today with the club facing off against a lefty — that won’t be the case for the next handful of games. What’s a manager to do?

“I’m going to call MLB and see if we can play 10,” Thomson jokingly replied when asked if he’s going to try to get Sosa in the lineup for Thursday’s series finale against the Rockies.

It doesn’t hurt to ask, right?

There is still cause for concern regarding the lineup and the inability to do more damage against opposing starters. In the fifth inning, they loaded the bases with no outs in the heart of the order — and left them stranded with three consecutive punch outs from Bryce Harper, Alec Bohm and Schwarber.

But when you’re finding ways to win this early and often to start the season — a problem like this can get tossed to the wayside … for now.

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Aaron Boone encouraged by hot starts from Yankees' youngsters: 'We need them to be this and better'

The Yankees have entered the 2025 season banking on a young core to blossom without long stretches of growing pains. And while it's still far too early to draw conclusions on what these players will produce by the end of the 162-game marathon, the first week's worth of results are at least encouraging.

Call it a small sample size -- because it very much is -- but the Yankees' crop of homegrown talent is providing pop in the lineup that's not just connected to the torpedo bat craze. Between youngsters Anthony Volpe, Austin Wells, and Ben Rice are seven home runs in just 39 total at-bats, and top prospect Jasson Dominguez joined the party with his first blast of the year on Tuesday.

With ample help from captain Aaron Judge, the Yankees hit a league-record 18 homers through their first four games. The questions and doubts surrounding the team's ability to reach base consistently and deliver in the clutch still exist, but the youth movement is already embracing a rather tall order.

"It's four games, but certainly been encouraged by Austin, Volpe," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said before Wednesday's game against the Diamondbacks. "Even before Dominguez had two hits and the homer yesterday, not a ton of results for him necessarily in the first few games, but I thought his at-bats were really good....

"I feel like those guys are all better hitters than they've been in the past, and continue to improve. We're relying on those guys heavily. We need them to be this and better. I've been encouraged by what we've seen from our younger players. They've kind of carried their spring training into the early days of the season so far."

The new faces in pinstripes are also pulling their weight, as Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt have combined to hit .310 with two homers. Jazz Chisholm Jr. is also off to a hot start with three round-trippers in his first March and April with the club. From top to bottom, the Yankees are barreling pitches.

New York's goal of defending its American League pennant and capturing that elusive championship is undoubtedly contingent upon the veterans living up to their career marks. But the 26-and-under group is bearing plenty of responsibility too. The Yankees' six true homegrown players in last week's Opening Day lineup were their most in five decades.

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Kristian Campbell agrees to 8-year, $60 million deal with Red Sox

BALTIMORE — Kristian Campbell agreed to an eight-year, $60 million contract with the Boston Red Sox less than a week after his major league debut.

He gets a $2 million signing bonus, half payable within 60 days of the contract’s approval by Major League Baseball and half next Jan. 15. He receives salaries of $1 million this year, $2 million in 2026, $3 million in 2027, $4 million in 2028, $6 million in 2029, $9 million in 2030, $13 million in 2031 and $16 million in 2032. The deal includes a $19 million team option for 2033 with a $4 million buyout and a $21 million team option for 2034 with no buyout.

Salaries for 2031-34 can escalate based on accomplishment in the immediately preceding season: $200,000 for making the All-Star team, $2 million for winning an MVP award, $1 million for finishing second or third in the voting, $500,000 for fourth or fifth, and $250,000 for sixth through 10th.

A 22-year-old infielder and outfielder, Campbell made his big league debut March 27 as Boston’s youngest opening day starter at second since Reggie Smith. He's hitting .375 (6 for 16) with two doubles, one homer, two RBIs and four walks.

Campbell agreed to the deal with just six days of major league service time. Boston struck a big-money deal with a rookie for the second straight year following an eight-year, $50 million contract last April with outfielder/infielder Ceddanne Rafaela, who started 2024 with 35 days of service.

Campbell’s new deal supersedes a one-year contract paying the $760,000 minimum while in the major leagues.

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Mets’ Frankie Montas takes positive step in lat strain recovery

Starting pitcher Frankie Montas has been sidelined with a high-grade lat strain since his first bullpen session of the spring in mid-February, but he recently took a crucial step in his recovery.

According to manager Carlos Mendoza, who spoke with reporters ahead of Wednesday’s series finale against he Marlins in Miami, Montas has resumed throwing from 60 feet.

The Mets originally announced back in February that the veteran right-hander would be shut down from throwing for six-to-eight weeks. Montas, who received a PRP injection as part of his treatment, just passed the six-week mark of that timeline.

“Everything is good from that end,” Mendoza said, adding that Montas is currently home with his wife as the couple awaits the birth of their child.

Montas, 32, signed a two-year deal with the Mets this offseason. A nine-year veteran, Montas has a 4.09 career ERA, averaging 9.2 strikeouts per nine innings.

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Mets sign first baseman Jon Singleton and infielder Niko Goodrum

The Mets are adding to their depth, signing first baseman Jon Singleton and infielder Niko Goodrum to minor league deals.

Both players will report to Triple-A Syracuse.

Singleton, 33, had 405 plate appearances over 119 games for the Astros last season, posting a .234/.321/.386 triple slash (103 OPS+).

In five big league seasons with the Astros and Brewers, Singleton has hit .198/.301/.347 with 29 home runs in 269 games.

Goodrum, 33, played in 13 major league games last season split between the Angels and Rays. He has also played for the Twins, Tigers, and Astros since making his debut in 2017.

He has a career .680 OPS across 415 big league games, and is capable of playing all four infield positions and all three outfield positions.

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Why Giants' 5-1 start to season is good omen for 2025 playoff run

Why Giants' 5-1 start to season is good omen for 2025 playoff run originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

We’re not in an even year, but …

The Giants’ 5-1 start on the road to begin the 2025 MLB season has San Francisco and its fans excited for what’s to come over the next 156 games.

After all, the Giants have an enticing history in campaigns where they start with at least a 5-1 record, dating back to 2000.

The last two times San Francisco started 5-1 led to a pair of parades. The Giants would love lightning to strike a third time.

Nevertheless, the enthusiasm surrounding the franchise is well warranted. San Francisco completed a three-game sweep of the Astros on Wednesday, and outscored Houston and the Cincinnati Reds 30-16 over the opening six games.

The starter in Wednesday’s 6-3 win, righty Landen Roupp, summarized the good vibes in the Giants’ clubhouse after he tossed four innings – and collected eight strikeouts to three earned runs – in Houston.

Oddly enough, yet not surprisingly, San Francisco still has a long way to go in the overly competitive NL West, simply because of Southern California. Both the reigning champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the routinely sturdy San Diego Padres started 7-0 over their first week of play.

And because of that, the Giants are third in the division, whereas they might be off to the races elsewhere – like the AL Central, where the Minnesota Twins, Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox all started with 2-4 records.

San Francisco obviously must keep the ball rolling over the next 156 games to have a serious shot at MLB playoff success, an arena the Giants haven’t reached since the 2021 season. But they surely achieved a good omen through six games.

Starting with a 5-1 record is nothing to snooze at, as history shows. The Giants seem to be for real in 2025.

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